1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of catches and latches for gates and, more particularly, to a slam catch for temporarily securing a livestock trailer gate in a closed position until the primary gate closure mechanism can be secured.
2. Description of the Related Art
Livestock trailers often have a side load door or gate that swings on a vertical axis to open and close the gate through which the livestock are loaded onto the trailer. When loading livestock, it is often desirable to be able to secure the gate in a closed position quickly as the livestock, once loaded into the trailer enclosure, may attempt to exit back through the gate. In many cases, the trailer's gate closure mechanism requires the person loading the livestock to physically hold the gate closed while moving a rotatable arm or other structure on the trailer that slides a lock rod or similar structure into a receiving opening in the door to secure the door in the closed position. However, this can be difficult to accomplish if the livestock are pressing against the inside of the door, particularly if only one or two persons are available to complete the loading process.
Accordingly, a need exists for a slam catch that can be engaged easily and which will hold the gate of a livestock trailer in a closed position until the person loading the livestock can secure the primary gate closure mechanism.